Macromiidae
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 Illinois River Cruiser (©2003 Ted Lee Eubanks, Jr./FERMATA Inc., courtesy of byways.org)
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The insect family Macromiidae contains the dragonfly species known as cruisers or skimmers. They tend to fly over bodies of water (and roads) straight down the middle. They are similar to Aeshnidae in size, but the eyes are green and just barely meet at the top of the head.
Macromiidae is sometimes considered as a subfamily of Libellulidae. It contains three genera and 125 species worldwide.
Females of this family lack an ovipositor at the end of the abdomen and lay their eggs by dipping the abdomen in the water as they fly over. Ovipositing is usually done without a male.
Naiads are found in rivers, streams, and lakes where there is water movement. They crawl in debris at the water's bottom and wait for prey.
[edit] References
- Chacon, Sheryl (2005). Cruisers (Macromiidae). Odes for Beginners. Retrieved on April 4, 2006.
- Lung, Mark; Sommer, Stefan (2001). Macromiidae: The Cruisers. Dragonflies Index. Retrieved on April 4, 2006.
[edit] External links
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